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A twin, he was brought up by family in Taunton, Somerset, before qualifying as teacher and getting a job in Croydon, South London. When the Second World War broke out he joined the commandos and was sent to India. After hostilities ended he stayed on as the former British colony was split into India and Pakistan.

Geoffrey trained soldiers in ­Pakistan’s new army but soon returned to teaching English and maths at ­elite Aitchison College in Lahore. He spent 25 years there. Former student Nadeem Mumtaz said: “He was like a father to us.”

In 1979, mountaineer Geoffrey left for Razmak Cadet College in lawless Waziristan. He was kidnapped and held for six days by militia in 1988. His captors were so impressed with him that, before his release, they took a photo of them all together. Ex-student Ali Sabtain said: “He walked faster than the kidnappers up the mountainous areas.”

That same year Geoffrey became a head at a school in Chitral, later named after him. He retired at 95 in 2013 and saw out his remaining days at a cottage in the grounds of Aitchison College.